00:03The former Prime Minister of France, Edouard Philippe, has been given assisted witness status
00:09in an investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds at the Le Havre Metropolitan
00:14Authority. This means while he is involved in the judicial investigation, he has not been
00:20formally charged or placed under formal investigation. Philippe is the current mayor
00:25of Le Havre, a port city on the northern coast of France, and a candidate for next year's
00:31presidential election for his Horizons party. He appeared before two financial investigating
00:37judges on Thursday. The investigation is looking into whether Philippe and others made a deal
00:43involving political, financial and networking support in return for the management of an
00:49innovation hub in the region. His lawyer told AFP this confirms there is nothing to reproach him for
00:54in this case. The status can change as a case progresses and as new evidence emerges.
